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Ya, the beer fridge is definitely an essential device that must be included in any emergency plan or critical load panel. :)

I got curious today as to how much solar electricity our panels have actually produced, at what cost, compared to the production guarantees and projections on the Solar City lease. Not sure if this will be interesting to any one, it is little different than the typical cost benefit analysis as...

We have similar rules that limit the size of a PV array over which you would be considered an electric generator. It can vary by State and by location in the State as to which utility company services that area. Yes, more than 50% of us feel the same way about excessive regulation and taxes...

The Schneider XW Pro can output 8500W each for 30 min at 25 deg C. from battery only. So 2 of these will definitely outperform the Sol-Ark. As a satisfied Schneider user I'm probably not very objective. I would agree with you that the Sol-Ark is probably easier to install and wire up vs. 2 XW...

I would recommend you go over to YouTube, Off Grid Garage and watch the video series where he did all sorts of charge/discharge testing. Its very informative, real world stuff.

DOA. Replace the cells, do use a BMS on the next build and for the QuickBooks bank account entry use the category of "Education".

Apparently nothing prevents it considering its already started as of 2020 with the never ending clot shots.

This can happen with partially cloudy conditions. Its called Cloud Edge Lensing where certain types of clouds can actually magnify solar radiation as they move across the sky but is usually for short periods of time.

That is really disappointing to say the least. What I don't understand is why companies like Sol-Ark wouldn't offer to ship you a set of circuit boards, or at the very least the PCB with the pass through relay. Certainly not every customer would be competent or comfortable with this solution but...

Wow, at that price point they wanted to use low cost inverters? Since you are in Utah I would suggest the contractor makes some time on Sunday to attend church and take a refresher course on the 10 commandments, particularly the one about not stealing. They probably did you a favor anyway...

If you are not using closed loop BMS communication different brands can be mixed if they are the same chemistry and number of cells.

I suppose in a public forum its not advisable to recommend someone replace a breaker with one that isn't code compliant but I know what I would do if it was my frozen and refrigerated items that were at risk due to a ridiculous breaker. I can understand using ARC fault in bedrooms but not the...

Sounds like this post should be in the "Up in Smoke" section of the forum. Many inverter type generators support parallel operation but it requires a sync cable. The only way I can think of to successfully parallel 2 older, conventional generators together would be to tie the crank shafts...

Datasheet shows max usable current as "17/17A". I would read that as each MPPT is capable of taking 17A.

So on Jan 27th General Minihan tells the troops war with China is coming in 2 years and coincidentally there is a Chinese Spy balloon discovered over US territory on Jan 28th. Does anyone remember the movie "Wag the Dog". I always thought it was a documentary not satire. But then what do I know...

Many of us use Emporia Vue. Low price vs. features is probably the best value. Some on the forum don't like the fact it is cloud based and doesn't keep 1 second data long enough. This is what I use with 10 CT's. Accuracy is good. IoTaWatt is highly recommended also, costs more but affords more...

I believe David Poz on YouTube covered this issue a while back.

There is a "heat island" effect that is well documented in urban environments due to the thermal mass of buildings, concrete and asphalt. Its a localized phenomenon and taken as a percentage of the whole is only about 15% of the land mass which is only 30% of the total surface area, the...

The scenario you describe is called Self Consumption and can yield savings but only in States like CA where Time of Use charges can be 3 to 4 times the off peak rates. In this case, the efficiency losses are more than compensated by the savings of not using utility power during peak times.

Seems like they mean 2,200kWh. Nice design aesthetics. Wonder how these would look and perform stretched across the Southern Border with razor wire on top. I know, controversial subject, couldn't help myself. Issue has been in the news A LOT lately.

Your experience with the BMS is unfortunate because it has left you with the impression a BMS is more trouble than its worth. A properly functioning BMS is stable and is absolutely necessary for LFP cell chemistry. Inverter settings for High and Low Voltage Cut Outs are based on total battery...

I understand this forum is for DIY Solar, I hope its OK to go off topic a little for educational purposes. This comparison is based on Nat Gas usage. This post is mostly aimed towards new forum members and anyone who is lurking and/or here still learning. Long time forum members and contributors...

I'm sure there is going be A LOT of disagreement about this subject. Strictly speaking the term "grid" specifically refers only to the electric grid. So if the utility transformer is right in front of your house or property or 5 miles away, if you are not connected to it, you are Off-Grid. I...

Unless you need high wattage for faster hot water recovery time the lower wattage element makes a lot of sense. Does the same job just takes a little longer. Regarding heat pump water heaters, they operate with a Coefficient of Performance of at least 2 and higher. Even if you didn't use the...

With 6 batteries you could theoretically charge at 600A as long as the current was divided perfectly equally. That would require some serious wiring and chargers. In practice most of us limit charging to 0.5C max and on a daily basis keep it more in the range of 0.25C. With the 6 batteries 150A...

More like does anyone ever read manuals anymore?

Conext is a single MPPT. The 3-position terminal is for convenience only. Would be better to do 2 strings of 10 panels assuming that is a 600V controller.

There is a big difference between a 5.4kW and a 8kW system. Seems like you want to base the choice on Brand name and price vs. what you actually need as far as system size to provide adequate solar for your usage. Since this is an Off-Grid system its even more important to size the solar array...

Nice write up and great description of what it means to be off-gird. FWIW, seems like the evaluation of the 5K may be a bit unfair as it was obviously the result of having unrealistic expectations of a 5kW high frequency inverter. There are so many posts on this forum from experienced users...

Since the fuse holder melted at only 71% current its a heat issue caused by a connection with too much resistance.

Ya, laugh if you wish. This is one of those ideas that sounds preposterous to anyone who never got caught up in FE when it became popular starting in 2015. I thought so too until my curiosity kicked in and I started doing some simple experiments myself and researching. My conclusion: We live in...

With the limited information provided (no individual battery or cell data) its just a guess. It sounds like the batteries are not getting fully charged and are probably at different SoCs. Are there any warnings or alarms on any of the batteries such as low voltage shut down? Are the settings...

It depends on the math. Cost of the PV panels compared to their reduced output with regard to the payback period. I would suspect your electric rates are high on the island so in fact it may not be waste of money.

I'm looking at the time stamps on the posts above. WOW, you guys have a serious solar equipment addiction issue. Maybe we need to form a special group of forum members to provide intervention services. :giggle:

I'm using Enphase Microinverters and they do have the ability to display a graph of temp., voltage, amperage etc. for each panel. If the NEP's have this feature I would first take a look at those values. I would also swap the microinverters on panel 9 & 10 since they are so far apart in...

Not sure who is being referred to as "You" in your post. It sounds like your facts are not accurate, its not the entire system at fault, it sounds like it's only the battery capacity and/or insufficient solar panels to charge them fully. Run time decreased from 12 hours to 5, sure seems like...

So that is about a 4% capacity loss after only 67 cycles, which as you suspected is quite high. However, since there is no historic capacity data from when you initially received the cells, its difficult to determine if they were used or low capacity cells to begin with or have undergone...

Its not clear what you mean by "Powerwall". Specifically that is a Tesla product which combines a battery and inverter in one cabinet but there is nothing special about either the battery or inverter in that particular unit. Sometimes people will refer to other products using the same...

Max is short for Maximum, not sure what the ambiguity in that word would be. What "people" are saying you can go higher? You need to stop listening to them.

Rather than posting a list of settings that may or may not make sense to you. I would recommend starting with this YT video and also do a YT search for others to gain a lasting understanding of BMS functions and each settings.

Your question is difficult to answer based on the stated goals and lack of AC specifics. How many sq ft need to be cooled and what is the heat load on the room, is the insulation adequate? How many tons is the AC unit. The best choice here would be a high eff. variable speed mini-split system...

Interesting tech, would love to have this at home making some extra Diesel fuel for the Dodge Cummins engine. BTW, Carbon Dioxide is NOT pollution. Its plant food as in without it we don't eat. Yes, some of the byproducts of combustion like Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Oxides or Sulfer from...

FIRST: Do an energy audit so your system gets sized properly. Since its a new location, it may be a little challenging with some assumptions. Perhaps your energy bills from your old location will be a good starting point as in how many kWh your family uses.

Technically its not Counterfeit since the Chinese product does not have any markings identifying it as an Anderson product. Its more of a cheap Knock-Off and a poor one at that since its not the same size. It is the company selling the product who is committing fraud by advertising it as a...

Well that's interesting. Unfortunately its just more "Smoke and Mirrors". Ultimately it means nothing. Before anyone accuses me of being a too negative, here are some facts that most people don't know, even Californians. This subject has already been discussed here on the forum under the heading...

You have to use a good hand held multimeter, measure the actual voltage on the batt + and - terminals. Then the accurate value can be manually entered in the BMS set up menu where the number of cells, batt capacity etc. are put in by the user.

150V is the PV input voltage and 30A is the Battery charging Output current at 12, 24 or 48V depending on your battery voltage. The Victron datasheets will list the maximum watts each charge controller model is capable of. Any brand of inverter will either derate itself or just shut down due to...

If you were to use an inverter that AC couples to the Load Output of the inverter (not the Gen input) via a breaker in the same main or subpanel. Then it should be possible to consume 100% of both AC coupled power as well as the full output of the inverter, either AC pass-thru or battery power.

Seriously, that's only a 120V suicide cord. Its for Wussies. If you really want to flit with the devil, it has to be at least 240V. In the interest of full disclosure I have to admit that I do in fact have a double male cord to be used only in the event I cannot plug into the gen input wired to...

Maybe watch the YT video before stating that Sol-Ark is the "Top of the Top"

That is not how it works. A US breaker panel that is rated at 100, 125, 200, 225, 400A Etc is a per bus bar rating. So split phase has 2 bus bars and 3 phase has 3 bus bars. In both cases each bus bar is rated at the same value as stated on the panel. So a 100A split phase panel has a 2 pole...

I'm not seeing any prohibition in the wording at all. Its actually the opposite. That section is simply giving permission to attach a 120V source to a 120/240V panel but only if there are no 240V outlets or multi-branch circuits that share a neutral. In other words it gives permission to...

Same way they forced health insurance on all of us. Simply ignore the constitution and legal precedent. Wait a little while and discover there are no consequences. Rinse and repeat.

There is also going to be losses in the DCDC converter for any DC appliances that are not 48V as is the battery. Stick with 120V appliances, they are relatively inexpensive and available vs. specialty DC appliances.

Yes, 3.65V is a good target value for maximum cell voltage. Charging to 3.5V per cell is ideal IMO. The literature indicates LFP electrolyte breakdown above 4.2V, have not personally experienced this issue. I've had 18650 cells up to 3.9V on the bench top by accident. No immediate damage...

Grounding is not difficult, the confusion is due to the word "ground" being used in several different contexts but no one ever qualifies it as they should. 1 System Ground 2 Equipment Ground 3 Earth Ground 4 Negative side of the battery and chassis of a vehicle being referred to as ground with...

It may be educational to watch a few videos of electric cars on fire. The intensity is truly stunning. A BMS is absolutely necessary especially with Li-NMC chemistry. Those are the cells that operate at 3.7V nominal. They are not as safe as LiFePO4 which operate at 3.2V nominal.

? A clarification that doesn't apply to your situation specifically. If more than 3 conductors are in a conduit then the ampacity has to be derated. In this case the Ground wire(s) is not counted.

Yes, you are absolutely correct. In fact, if I was starting over today I would seriously consider going with a self consumption system rather than grid tie. I wasn't trying to be a solar cheerleader just kind of pointing out that sometimes people look at things from too short of a time period.

The problem with putting cells in series and charging at higher voltage is that the first cell to reach 100% will "Run" up very fast. Unless you plan on using a 4S BMS on each set of 4 cells in series I would recommend NOT doing the 12V fast charge method. Reason being you really don't have any...

You must be referring to operation "Blue Beam".

The attached diagram says N/G is OFF?? as it should be for your proposed wiring diagram. Yes, the new 100A, 2 pole breaker in the subpanel should have an interlock plate installed so the main and inverter backfeed breaker are never on at the same time. The answer is in the question. The N/G...

There is nothing special about the PDP, in that it doesn't have any circuit boards or components necessary for the operation of the Inverters. All of the functionality of a PDP could be duplicated with components from Midnight Solar or others, but based on the price of the PDP and how much time...

Voltage controled charging works well and is trouble free with LFP batteries. It is not necessary to have closed loop communications. You may want to add a Victron shunt to the system to get accurate SoC data. As long as the battery has Bluetooth or WiFi or a display so you have access to...

The wall should be core drilled (or SDS bit if the hole is small enough) so a rigid conduit sleeve can be inserted all the way through. Then a Conduit Body is usually used on both ends...

Yes, in the data center world its called a Maintenance Bypass so power can be diverted directly to the loads thus Bypassing and isolating the UPS systems for maintenance and service such that it is safe with no power inside the UPS cabinets at all.

I read through the Pro operating manual again, see attached relevant pages. I believe the following is where the confusion is. 1) Since you have a Xanbus connected MPPT charge controller the inverter is operating in the "Enhanced Grid Support Mode" which means the Grid Support Volts setting has...

Apparently the battery is actually located on Venus.

That's some nice "Word Smithing". Definitely went out of their way to discourage Solar but without explicitly bashing it. You are correct, with rates at 8 cents per kWh there isn't much financial incentive. Unless the area you live in has frequent power outages then maybe from a convenience...

The diagram as posted makes no sense at all. The subpanel should be configured for critical loads which means the branch breakers for your fridge, computer, router and anything else you want on back up power has to be in the subpanel which is fed by the AC Output terminals on the Inverter. The...

Because the power strip is designed to be safe when connected to a standard 120V, 20A branch circuit. The twist lock connector is normally used in a server rack environment to help prevent unwanted cord disconnects.

Personally, I like the idea of actually using technical terms to describe things instead of arbitrary industry invented meaningless terms. 1) Constant Current 2) Constant Voltage 3) Float

Is it a 12V system? Its surprising how fast Amp hours add up with relatively small parasitic stand by loads. As an example lets assume the inverter has a 48W standby loss. That is 4A at 12V. In 24 hrs, 96Ah which is more than 1/2 of the usable battery capacity. Best way to find out is to...

You have the logic correct. To get a realistic idea of actual energy usage the current or Watts can be found on the appliance name plate or can be measured with a clamp meter. Yes, the oven cycles so the duty cycle would have to be determined also. Of course duty cycle would be dependent on the...

Apologies, disregard everything I posted earlier. Totally missed that one of the batteries is only15 cells. By design the batteries have different operating voltage ranges so current will always flow accordingly from higher to lower potential.

3 phase doesn't get much attention on the forum but most of the problems with Schneider lately has been with Enhanced Grid Support, Sell Back. Specifically, the batteries getting drained overnight. So far that issue has not been corrected in the firmware but the work-around has been to set Grid...

Does the new, larger heat pump maybe have an auxiliary Emergency Heat module. Those are simply resistance heating elements with a COP of 1. Normally the resistance heater is only turned on in extreme cold or if the compressor will not operate there is a back up heat source.

Thanks for sharing, good reminder to leave the connectors loose until everything has been tested with a meter.

Based on your amperage requirements and large cable sizing, I would recommend going with Class K or M welding cable. Its sooo much more flexible and easier to work with. Keep in mind that the fine strands expand more when stripped so special crimp lugs with a slightly larger barrel are required...

Sounds like a great project. Looking forward to the story as it unfolds.

Bulk (Constant Current) = 0.2C Absorption (Constant Voltage) = 56V-56.8V Float = 53.6V to 54.4V. Float is only necessary when using solar generation to power loads in order to keep the charge controller active. If the system is mostly used as back-up then no-float is recommended.

Many furnace control boards have specifications regarding the maximum resistance between Neutral and Ground. Usually its a just a few ohms. The Goodman trouble shooting guides I have read go into some detail about the issue. As Mattb4 mentioned, it could be the infamous N-G issue that has...

The shunt is there to measure actual current supplied to the load and is sized at 120% of the normal continuous amperage the load will require. For example, a pair of 6000W inverters would draw approx. 290A at 50V if they were operating at 100% of capacity. A 500A smart shunt would be perfect...

Absolutely you should be using a proper J box or small breaker panel to make connections and distribute branch circuits. The set up in the pic with exposed bus bars, free air splices and breakers is dangerous and needs to be corrected. I would be inclined not to provide any further advice...

Since the specification sheet for the inverter was not included in your post, this is a bit of a generic answer. Max AC output would typically refer to the maximum CONTINUOUS power output at a specified ambient temperature. Peak Power is generally a surge rating. For most low cost, high...

True, but once the inspector leaves there is nothing stopping the "Battery Fairy" from stopping by and adding capacity.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, this is an absolute abortion. The 2 x 200A feed from the Sol-Ark needs to be split into 4 x 100A using a 2 pole distribution block and all 4 x 100A rated wires need to be landed on the main breaker, without modification of the stripped area of the wires.

If you are using a space heater then we can assume you are only trying to heat one room. In this case a small Inverter type Mini-Split would be an excellent choice of heat pump as time2roll mentions above.

It would be helpful if you posted screen shots of the inverter and charge controller set up menus, PV voltages, battery voltages etc. otherwise there isn't much go on as far a giving advise.

Seems like there is a mash-up of several concepts in that sentence. Lets untangle it. 1) Tier 1 is considered the higher priced, full featured, UL approved, name brand, good reputation and warranty type systems. They can be turn-key, proprietary, professionally installed or partially or fully...

I have a wall mounted YIYEN 150Ah battery with the cells stacked inside exactly** like your pic. No problems in 5 years yet. **Its actually 2 stacks of 16 x 75Ah cells.

It depends on the use case. In an RV where the batteries could potentially be discharged completely thereby requiring a large amount of current for several hours, a DC DC charge limiter would be highly recommended. The other issue is if the automotive alternator/regulator has the proper voltage...

👆 Yes, Watts is a much better indicator of solar irradiance especially considering the MPPT charge controller is ramping the current up and down, which changes the voltage, trying to find the highest Watts available for given conditions. Also, the readings would have to be temperature corrected...

Inrush is a very short duration event and usually does not need to be considered. Conventional wisdom indicates the shunt should be sized so the maximum continuous current does not exceed 75 to 80% of the shunt rating. Ambient temperature and shunt resistance are factors also. A 50mv shunt will...

Sounds like you have researched the market fairly well. I will leave you with a couple of additional comments that may be of some help. 1) Any hybrid inverter can be used as a whole house solution but it does require a Line Side utility tap between the meter and your main panel for AC Input to...

Soft starter on the well pump is highly recommended, I use a HyperEngineering on our 4 ton AC condenser. The ebike batteries most likely were li ion, they have very high energy density but are subject to thermal run away and fires. The LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry in solar storage...

Its called an "Equipment Ground" which is always required vs. a "System Ground" which would be IF either of the battery OR PV + or - conductors was grounded and as hwy17 mentioned this is very rarely called for anymore.

I'm using the older M250's in a manner similar to what you described above. 2 x Brand A panels on a storage shed facing South, 2 x Brand B panels on a different storage shed facing South, 7 x Brand C panels on the house facing West. All run to a combiner box then into a 20A 2 pole breaker in a...

Reduce the charging voltage to 27 then increment it up 0.1V, wait until balancing completes at every step up. Repeat until you get to 28V and all the cells are balanced.

Not an EE but I've done some research and bench testing with a TI 20 bit shunt amp IC. Most of the budget consumer BMS products are built with low cost, like 10bit, microprocessors which presents 2 problems. 1) 10bits can produce only 1024 discrete values of which half are for charge current...